Hemp-brake.



J. W. CRAlN.

HEMP BRAKE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 16. 1915.

l 1 98.330 1 Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

UNITED STATS .ATNT

JOHN WILLIAM GRAIN, OF WINCHESTER, KENTUCKY.

HEMP-BRAKE.

Application filed December 16, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN WVILLIAM GRAIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at lvinchester, in the county of Clark and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hemp-Brakes, and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to improvements in hemp brakes, and has for an object to provide an improved hemp brake which will be constructed entirely of metal and will be stronger, more durable, and more easily operated than devices of this character as at present constructed.

Another object of the present invention resides in providing an improved hemp brake embodying a frame or base upon which is supported a lmife-structure, and pivotally mounted above which is a flail having swords cooperating with the knifestructure .and including a counterbalance for assisting to raise the flail to a predetcrniined height, so that the latter may be easily handled through short movements, but which counterbalance is arranged to become inefit'cctive when the flail is raised above said predetermined height in order to permit the deliverv of long and heavy blows upon the hemp, which is especially desired during the initial operation of buffeting and cracking the same.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel details of construction and combinations of parts more fully hereinafter disclosed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and in which similar reference symbols indicate corresponding parts in the several views: Figure l is a top plan view, partly in section, of an improved hemp brake constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevational view, parts being broken away, of the same; and Fig. 3 is a rear end elevational view of the improved brake.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, 1 and 2 designate a pair of rear spaced posts, preferably Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

Serial No. 67,258. i

here shown, but which will be understood to comprise any number found desirable or necessary.

Between the rear posts 1 and 2 is connccted a transverse sill composed of a pair of fiat bars 9 and 10 fitted together and having each semi-cylindrical portions 11 and 12 adjacent their ends, as more particularly seen in Fig. 1, for embracing the posts 1 and 2 when the bars are assembled; said bars 9 and 10 being clamped about the posts 1 and 2 in any suitable manner, as for instance by bolts 13 and 1 1 shown. Similarly, between the front standards or posts 5 and 6 is mounted a front transverse sill composed of spaced members or flat bars 15 and 16, constituting the anvil of the brake and being similarly formed with semi-cylindrical portions 17 and 18 in pro imity to their ends for receiving the posts 5 and 6, about which they are secured by bolts or other suitable means 19 and 20. Between the front and rear transverse sills, so built up, are connected the knives, here shown to be three in number, including a central straight knife 21, pressed into 'an inverted V, and which is secured at its opposite ends to the cross sills in any desired Inanner.

To either side of the central or intermediate knife 21 are lateral knives 22 and 23 having straight end portions, as advantageously disclosed in Fig. 1, and intermediate diagonal portions connecting the same and converging toward the forward part of the machine. These knives 22 and 23 are, in like manner, connected to the front and rear sills by bolting or other means. I

The rear posts 1 and 2 are extended above the transverse sill supported thereon, where they receive elbows 24 and 25, and connected between the horizontal branches of said elbows is a cross rod or bar 26, of tubular metal or other construction, the same bein spaced above the rear sill, as will be apparent from an inspection of ill Fig. This bar 26 forms the support or shaft upon which the flail is adapted to pivot.

The flail is built up of a pair of swords 27 and 28 of angle iron or other construction, disposed to either side above the central knife 21 and preferably substantially midway between the same and the respective end knives and the swords 27 and 2; being, similar to the end knives 22 and 23, ci'instructed of straight end portions and intermediate diagonal portions converging toward the forward end of the machine, all

as will be readily understood from Fig. 1-

of the drawings. The forward ends of the swords 27 and 28 are connected by a head or breaker-block 29 disposed to cooperate with the anvil formed by the members 15 and 16, and between which the final operation of separating the fiber is accomplished.

At their rear ends the swords 27 and 28 are connected to plates 30 and 31 projecting from collars or bearings 32 and 33, mounted to pivot on the cross bar or shaft 26 and confined in place thereon by pins or other suitable means 3% and 35. inserted through perforations in said shaft 26. handle 36 is connected between one sword, 27, and the block 29 for engagement by the operator to oscillate the flail in a manner which will be well understood.

From the rear end of the flail projects an extension, preferably formed from a single length of flat metal bent centrally upon itself to provide a yoke having arms 37 and 38 connected at their free ends by bolts or other suitable means 39 and 40 to the swords 27 and 28. The arms 37 and 38 project rearwardly, resting upon the bar 26 adjacent the collars and 33, and are connected at their rear ends by the yoke 41 which is perforated at 42 to receive one end of a coil spring, or other suitable counterbalance, 43, and the other end of which is connected to a pin or bolt 4% fitted in one pair of registering perforations of a series 45, provided in a pair of bars 46 and i? projecting rearwardly from the frame of the machine, and

having upturned forward ends 48 and 49 which are bolted or otherwise secured as indicated at 50 to the central knife 21, and may be connected together thereabove, as indicated at 51 in Fig. l, to comprise said bars 46 and 47 in a single piece.

In the operation of the improved brake, it will be understood that the operator grasps the handle 36 and oscillates the flail about the bar or shaft 26, bringing the swords 27 and 28 down between the intermediate knife 21 and end knives 22 and 23 on the frame and the breaker block 29 down upon the anvil formed by the members 15 and 16. This action, to limited degree, is adapted to be facilitated by the cooperation of the counterbalance spring 4 3, the pin 4:4. connecting the lower end of which may be adjusted in any pair of the series of perfora tions 45 to admit of varying the tension thereof and thereby increasing or diminish-- ing the limit within which the counterbalance will be effective. The spring 43 is preferably arranged to be effective in raising, or assisting to raise the flail to substantially the position shown in Fig. 2, although it will be understood that it may be set to raise, or assist to raise the frame to any prede termined height; and when the flail is operated by means of the handle 86 through short movements, not in excess of such height, the operation may be quickly proceeded with, the flail oscillating readily and responding quickly to the hand of the op erator. While these short and quickly accomplished movements of the flail. desirable in the final stage in separating the fiber from the stalks, in buffeting and oracle ing the same, which is the first operation, it is necessary that the hemp be subjected to heavier and severer blows, and for this purpose the flail may be raised above the height for which the counterbalance 43 has been set and the latter will thereupon become ineffective, and the total weight of the flail, which may be raised to a relatively great height, may be imposed on the hemp stalks, when the flail is brought down, and this action will be interfered with in no appreciable manner by the effect of the counter-ha lance 43 on the short end stroke thereof. Thus it will be seen that the flail carrying the swords 27 and 28 may be raised by the operator through the handle 36 to a considerable height uut of the influence of the coun terbalance, and the same may be then brought down by its own weight and by the additional force imposed by the operator, and will subject the hemp stalks on the knifestructure to a severe bufleting and cracking. After this initial operation the hemp may be treated by operating the flail through the short movements above described within the limits of the counterbalance spring and the fiber may be readily and quickly separated. i

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to such features except as may be required by the claims.

I claim 1. A hemp brake including a knife-structure, a movable flail supported to cooperate with said knife-structure, and means for counterbalancing said flail through a portion only of its full stroke, substantially as described.

2. A. hemp brake including a knife-structure, a flail supported to oscillate in cotiperation with said knife-structure, and means associated with said flail for counterbalancing the same through a portion only of its full stroke whereby the flail may be moved easily and rapidly through partial strokes within the limit of the counterbalance means, substantially as described.

3. A hemp brake including a. frame, a knife-structure supported on said frame, a movable flail mounted on said frame above said knife-structure, hand-engageable means for operatingsaid flail, and counterbalancing means connected between said frame and flail and eflective to relieve the weight of the latter and reduce the force of the blow only through a portion of the full flail stroke, whereby the flail may be moved easily and rapidly through partial strokes within the limit of the counterbalancing means, sub stantially as described. I

4. In a handoperated hemp brake, the combination of a frame, a knifestructure mounted on said frame, a flail pivoted on said frame to operate in conjunction with said knife-structure, a handle on said flail, an extension on said flail projecting in rear of the flail pivot point, an extension projecting rearwardly from said frame, and means connected between said extensions for counterbalancing said flail through a portion only of its full stroke, whereby the flail may be moved easily and rapidly through partial strokes within the limit of said means, substantially as described.

5. In a hand-operated hemp brake, the combination of a frame, a knife-structure supported on said frame, a movable flail also supported from said frame, extensions projecting from said frame and flail, means arranged between said extensions for counter-4 balancing said flail through a portion only of its full stroke, whereby the flail may be moved easily and rapidly through partial strokes within the limit of said means, and means for adjusting said counterbalance to regulate the length of the partial stroke within which the same will be effective in controlling said flail, substantially as described.

6. In a hemp brake of the character de scribed, the combination of a frame includ ing corner posts, sills mounted in pairs between said posts, a central straight knife supported between said sills, a curved knife in spaced relation to each side of said central straight knife and being connected between said sills, a cross bar extending between the rear posts and above the sill connected therebetween, a flail including a pair of curved swords spaced apart to operate between the central and lateral knives, bearings associated with said flail and j ournaled to oscillate on said cross bar, and hand-engageable means for oscillating said flail, substantially as described.

7. In a hand hemp brake, the combination of a frame including a pair of rear and a pair of forward standards, a cross bar connected between the upper ends of said rear pair of standards, a flail mounted to oscillate on said cross bar and including a pair of swords having straight ends and diagonal central portions, a breaker-block connecting the outer ends of said swords, a handle for operating said flail, a cross sill connected between the rear pair of standards beneath said cross bar, a second sill connected between the forward pair of standards, a central straight knife connected between said sills and disposed intermediate the flail swords, and a pair of lateral knives includ ing straight and diagonal converging central portions connected between said sills and to either side of the flail swords, substantially as described.

8. In a hand hemp brake, the combination of a frame, a knife-structure mounted on said frame and including a straight central and a pair of curved knives, a flail mounted to oscillate above said knife-structure and including a pair of swords disposed to either side of the central straight knife, extensions projecting from said flail and frame, and a coil spring connected between said extensions for counter-balancing the flail when operated through short strokes but becoming ineffective when the flail is raised to deliver longer strokes, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I afix my signature.

JOHN WILLIAM GRAIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

